australian trials review
The Australian team is presented at the close of the trials.
The 2004 Australian Olympic trials will almost certainly be remembered for two sensations that struck the championship, namely Ian Thorpe's ignominious exit from the 400m freestyle on the first day and the stunning world record in the 100m freestyle from Libby Lenton. But to label the meet as only having two noteworthy points would do a great disservice to a competition which had numerous highs and drama throughout the week's events, producing no fewer than nine Commonwealth records.
Of course it is impossible to review the meet without mention of the drama surrounding Thorpe, a story that has gripped the nation ever since and has provoked comment all the way up to the Prime Minister. The fuss shows no signs of abating as Craig Stevens, who took the second 400m berth for Athens in the Thorpedo's absence, weighs up his options and decides whether he will compete in the 8 lap event. There remains an optimism in some quarters that Stevens will decide to stand aside and hence let Thorpe defend his title, but the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) swimmer has received huge support from the public at large and will remain popular whatever he decides. To his credit, however, Thorpe immediately bounced back from that disappointment to secure spots in the 100m and 200m and on all three relay teams, despite another near drama when the zip on his bodysuit broke minutes before his 200m heat. One swim in trunks later and he was back on the proverbial horse.
Lenton's performance made the headlines for all the right reasons, coming as it did almost entirely from the blue. The young Queenslander got a blistering start in her 100m freestyle semi-final, leaving the rest of the field in her wake over the first 50m and turning in a split identical to that posted by Inge de Bruijn on her way to the old world record in the same pool. It looked for all the world that the record would slip away over the closing 25m, but an immense effort saw Lenton touch home in 53.66, knocking 0.11 off the old mark. Almost more amazingly, Jodie Henry stepped up to the plate in the second semi and equalled the old world time, dragging Alice Mills behind her to an impressive 54.25. Henry and Lenton came through the final shoot out to contest the event in Athens, but joined with Mills and Petria Thomas , who posted a fast 54.92 in the heats before withdrawing, the Australian relay team has really thrown down the gauntlet to the rest of the world.
Thomas was the other standout performer from the weeks swimming. The AIS swimmer has made an astounding return from her third shoulder reconstruction and was in the form of her life in Sydney, setting new commonwealth records over 50 and 100m butterfly and also posting extremely quick times over the 200m distance and the 200m freestyle for good measure. In what is almost certainly her last major championship, Thomas may yet gain the Olympic gold that has eluded her in the past.
Justin Norris recieves his 200m butterfly gold.
Other swimmers to break Commonwealth records were Matt Welsh (100 back), who chose a strange time to set a new mark of 53.78, coming as it did in a time trial for the medley relay team, Alice Mills in the 200 medley and the 400 medley pairing of Jennifer Reilly and Justin Norris. Norris was another swimmer in good form during the week, setting a new personal best in the 200 medley and posting a speedy 1:56.20 in the 200m butterfly.
But one of the most popular winners from the week was the ever smiling Brooke Hanson. The breaststroke star has twice fallen at the final hurdle when it comes to Olympic selection but it was third time lucky for the Victorian flyer. Hanson's beaming face graced Australian TV screens on numerous occasions as she made the squad in the 200m and 100m breaststroke as well as the 200m medley, setting personal best performances in each and dethroning world record holder Leisel Jones in the shorter event.
Australia is the first major swimming nation to complete their Olympic trials and their performances are now there to be shot at as the other major powers pick their Olympic teams. But what they have done is raise the bar for everyone else. No doubt there will be Olympic hopefuls around the world having a good look at their preparations as they realise they will need to step up another level to win gold in Athens.